


A little Christmas Cheer

by RowanSilverwolf



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alcohol, Christmas, Drunk Doctor, Drunk Jackie, F/M, Fluff, Humour, Injury, Mistletoe, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 03:24:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8952058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowanSilverwolf/pseuds/RowanSilverwolf





	1. Chapter 1

A/N: I own nothing to do with Doctor who. I will make no money what-so-ever from this fiction although if I'm lucky I may get a few reviews!

 

Chapter 1

 

"What on earth are you doing?" Rose asked running to the TARDIS doors, holding them open for the struggling Doctor.

"Well," the Doctor grunted, pulling at something. "I thought it was about time we had a Christmas tree." He staggered backwards as the tree finally squeezed through the door, falling onto the floor. Rose couldn't help it she burst out laughing causing the Doctor to pout. There he sat, where he'd fallen on his backside on the floor of the TARDIS, elbows resting on his knees eyebrow raised at his companion.

"I'm sorry." She gasped finally reaching a hand down to help him up. He caught her off balance and yanked her to the floor.

"OW!" she complained as she connected with the metal flooring. The Doctor laughed and bounced onto his feet.

"Stop complaining. We've got Christmas Decorations to put up!" He was almost giddy with excitement.

"You don't have any Christmas decorations. You don't do Christmas." Rose pointed out, hauling herself up, rubbing what she was sure was going to be a big bruise on her backside.

"Not normally, no. But I do have decorations."

"So what makes this year different?" She grabbed the thin end of the tree and followed the Doctor through the TARDIS to their main living area.

The room was scattered with boxes overflowing with ornaments and tinsel.

"So? What makes this year different?" Rose asked again.

"Dunno. Just is." He heaved the tree into it's stand and stepped back to admire his handy work.

"It's wonky." Rose said.

"Hmm. So it is." He dived under the branches and wiggled it around. "how bout now?" His muffled voice came from inside the tree.

"Too far that way."

"Which way?"

"That way."

"Rose which way is 'that way'? I have a tree blocking my view."

"Oh, right sorry." She giggled. "To the right."

"It needs to go to the right or it's too far right?"

"Tell ya what, I'll wiggle it and you hold it where I put it."

The Doctor bit his tongue as many jokes sprang to mind, all of them unsuitable for present company. The tree shifted in his grasp giving him more splinters than he'd ever had before. Suddenly he lost his grip and the tree fell on top of him pinning him to the ground with a mouth full of pine needles and forcing the breath from his body.

"Doctor?!" Rose called trying to heave the tree up. "Are you alright?" All she heard was a slight groan in response. Giving up on the lifting plan Rose dragged the tree sideways.

The trunk had hit the Doctor squarely on the forehead giving him a painful bump and a nasty gash. He felt the blood trickle down his face as Rose helped him slowly sit upright.

"I'll run and get a plaster" she told him.

"No, no. It's alright. I'll go." He stood up and felt the world shift beneath his feet. "Was that her or me?" he asked groggily clamping a hand to his aching head.

"You." Rose hooked her arm under his and led him out to the medical bay.

The Doctor laid himself down on one of the tables and winced as his head throbbed.

"Who thought making trees heavy was a good idea?" he moaned, closing his eyes against the light.

"Well most people don't drop them on their heads!" Rose pointed out, soaking some cotton wool in warm water with disinfectant. She pulled up a stool and sat beside him dabbing at the blood trickle slowly edging closer to the cut on his forehead.

"Well most people say 'left' or 'right' to a person who can't see them!"

Rose smiled a little and watched his face. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened when he winced as the disinfectant stung.

"Poor Doctor." Rose cooed

"Are you mocking me Rose Tyler?"

"Not at all!" She feigned innocence.

"Well, just see how much sympathy you get from me next time a tree falls on your head!" He told her, pouting like a little child, which only earned him more laughter.

The Doctor found himself suddenly laughing then wincing again as his head pounded even more.

Rose worked in almost complete silence as she gently finished cleaning his wound and stuck a white bandage over it. Gathering some ice from the kitchen she placed it in a towel and returned to the Doctor's side and rested it on his head. There was no sound except the hum of the TARDIS, a noise Rose had become so familiar with she found she couldn't sleep without it anymore. When she visited her mum she had taken to returning to the TARDIS to sleep when her mum had gone to bed. At least that's what she told herself. But she knew part of it was because that's where the Doctor spent most nights when Rose was visiting her mother. But there was something very comforting about the hum of the big blue box, it was almost a purr.

She looked down at the Doctor. He hadn't stirred at all, not a flinch or a flicker. Leaning closer she listened, his breathing was heavier than normal and she smiled, the Doctor was asleep.

XxXxX

When the Doctor woke it took him a while to work out where he was. Lifting his head he suddenly remembered what happened as a blinding pain shot through the front of his head to his eyeballs. Carefully he sat up and allowed his head to adjust to the new position before ferreting around in his pocket for his trusty screwdriver. He fiddled for a moment before holding it to his head. He let out a groan as he felt himself relax and the headache subside slightly. He knew he'd have to wait for it to go away completely on it's own but any relief was welcome. He quietly made his way down the corridor and silently poked his head round Rose's door. She sprawled over her bed still in the same clothes she'd been wearing earlier, sound asleep. He spotted a book on the floor underneath where her hand was dangling off the bed. He smiled to himself as he slipped into her room. He picked up the book and placed it on the bedside table. Gently taking her hand he propped it on the mattress and laid the blanket across her. She shifted slightly at the movement and the Doctor froze, waiting for her to wake. But she didn't she just gave a little moan and snuggled further into her pillow.

XxXxX

"Right you." The Doctor addressed the fallen Christmas tree. "You and me have got a job to do. So no funny business, I've got a screwdriver and I'm not afraid to use it." Slipping his glasses on, he shrugged out of his jacket, pulled off his tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

XxXxX

Rose padded sleepily around the TARDIS. "Doctor?" she called. When she woke she'd decided the Doctor must've been in her room as she didn't remember putting her book away and if she'd put herself to bed she wouldn't have woken up in the same clothes she'd been wearing the day before. She stopped and listened for a reply, but instead of him calling out she was sure she could hear him singing. Following her ears she made her way towards the sound. Rounding the corner to the living area she found him. Right in the middle of the room, stringing lights and tinsel all over the place singing along to Christmas songs. She bit on her thumb to stop herself from laughing. The TARDIS seemed to be enjoying herself too, fading the lights of the room in and out in time to the music.

Rose heard a series of beeps and the Doctor spun round. All composure was lost. Standing in the middle of the room, with tinsel hung round his neck stood the Doctor, complete with a pair of reindeer horns on his head and a flashing nose.

"Morning Rose!" He treated her to one of his widest grins and watched as she bent double with laughter. "Told you she'd laugh." The Doctor said as he went back to dancing around the room with Christmas Decorations "Rocking around the Christmas tree, la lala la laaa lala" he sung, throwing some kind of sparkling powder at the tree.

"Are you feeling alright?" Rose asked finally regaining composure.

"I'm fine why?" He took her in his arms and twirled her around the room.

"You just seem extra…. Cheery."

"Nope I'm absholutely fantastic."

"Ab-sho-lutely? Doctor, are you drunk?"

"Not at all! I object to the accusaaation." He stumbled as he twirled. "What makes you think I am?"

"The Jack Sparrow impression for one." She said, reaching out to prop him up when it looked like he'd over balance.

"Well. I'm. Not." He told her. "She," he said pointing to the ceiling, Rose figured he meant the TARDIS, "She made something delishious to drink. It's over on the table, try some!" He pointed to the table then sambaed out of the room. Rose picked up a glass and sniffed.

"TARDIS, how much alcohol did you put in here? It's meant to be Eggnog not paint stripper." She heard the machine beep at her. Sighing she left to find the Doctor again. It didn't take long. He was in the control room, stringing yet more lights and tinsel around the consol.

"Oops" she heard him suddenly say as he looked at the monitor.

"What oops?"

Before he could answer there was a banging on the door.

"Your mother." He said nodding to the doors.

Rose went to let her mother in. "Hello." Rose sighed.

"What's wrong, why are you back so soon? Or have you been away ages and made it so you've come back just after you've left?"

"See, this is what happens when you drink and drive." The Doctor said merrily.

"Oh so you admit to having a drink now then?" Rose smirked.

"She just told me." He said pointing his finger at the consol. "It's all her fault. Sshhhe shhhould know better than to give me alcohol after bumping me noggin. Sccchpecially when I used the sonic screwdriver."

"Wait. What did you do with the sonic screwdriver?"

"I don't want to know!" Jackie said "It is called a screwdriver after all."

"Mum!"

"Now that's just naughty!" He wagged his finger at Jackie, a dopey grin on his face. He seemed to be getting more drunk by the minute but he wasn't actually drinking now. He started singing as he did a one man conga from the control room out to the corridor.

"Doctor?" Rose chased after him. Rounding in front of his and stopped taking hold of his arms. "What did you do?"

"When?"

"What did you do with the screwdriver?" she said slowly, as if she was talking to an old man

"Oh, I made my head ache go away." His grin grew even bigger, clearly proud of himself.

"How do you mean?"

"Silly human. Like you do with para….para…asprin."

"You mixed alcohol and asprin?" Jackie asked.

"No, asprin would kill him."

"Doctor. Does it do the same thing when you drink?"

"Of courshe."

"Oh my god he's been drugged." Jackie said.

"No the TARDIS just made a huge mistake."

"Shtop worrying I'm fine!"

"You need to sit down."

"Nope, quite happy standing thank you very much." He removed his tie and draped it round her neck. "Ah Rose. My lovely, sweet, darling Rose. You're so pretty." The Doctor murmured planting a heavy kiss on her lips before collapsing in a heap at Rose's feet.

 

 

A/N: It's not gona be a long fic but he's gona get himself into trouble. Still being the Doctor, it doesn't take much does

reviews welcome.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Chapter 2

 

"So how long has that been going on?" Jackie demanded.

"How long has been what going on?" Rose tried to suppress her smile as she thought about the kiss.

"Don't play innocent with me! You and him!"

"Mum can you stop talking like a loony and hurry up? He's not getting any lighter."

"Not until you tell me what's going on!" Jackie dropped the Doctor's feet and planted her hands on her hips.

"Mum, nothing is going on. He was drunk. You do it all the time!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you do! Remember Tony from downstairs at your last birthday party?" Rose waited and watched her mother's face tinge with embarrassment at the memory.

"How do you know about that?"

"I was there, remember? Mind you, wouldn't surprise me if you didn't. After all, there were men at the party." Rose touched her tongue to her top teeth, smiling and raised her eyebrow, daring her mother to deny it.

Jackie huffed and lifted the Doctor's legs.

"Help me get him on the sofa" Rose gasped as they carried him into the living room.

"Did the north pole explode in here or something?"

"It all started with that tree."

"Oh it's not one of those killer trees is it?"

"Why would we have a killer tree in our own living room?"

"Just asking. God, he's heavy." Jackie complained as she swung his feet onto the cushions.

"Careful!" Rose chided.

"He's not gona know, he's completely wasted. What happened to his head?"

"The Christmas tree fell on him."

"He doesn't do very well with Christmas does he?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he was in bed almost dying for most of the real Christmas after changing his face and now look at him even when Christmas was months ago he still ends up in a mess! It's a wonder he doesn't ban Christmas in this place completely."

Rose blinked at her mum then looked back at the Doctor. "It's not Christmas?"

"No love, like I said that was months ago."

"Then why was he acting like it was?"

"Maybe aliens have more than one Christmas a year."

"No, it's an Earth thing, Christmas."

"Come on up to the flat, I'll make you a nice cup of tea."

"No thanks, I don't wana leave him." She stoked his hair away from the bandage on his head.

"He'll be fine, he's not going anywhere for hours yet."

"What if he needs me? What if when he wakes up and I'm not here?"

Jackie sighed and shook her head. "Alright, where's the kettle?"

XxXxX

He opened one eye and looked around him, everything looked normal. "Rassilon,my head!" he cursed and became very aware that he hand no shirt on and that his trousers were undone.

"What did I do last night?"

"Last night? More like ten o'clock this morning!" Jackie's voice cut through his brain. "Mind you the strip show was entertaining, but a little bit clumsy."

"St….strip show?" The Doctor stammered.

"Yeah. Don't you remember?" Jackie grinned as a look of panic spread across the Doctor's face.

"No." He sat up and clutched his head. The TARDIS bleeped at him. "Oh very funny." He retorted a slight snarl to his voice.

"What she say?" Rose asked emerging with a cup of coffee.

"She said I….I have a nice bum."

Jackie and Rose burst into giggles. "Even your own ship has a crush on you!" Rose said between laughs, noticing the pink blush that had started creeping up his neck.

"Must have taste." He groaned as he tried to stand. "I'm going to have a shower and when I get back we are going to go."

"Go where?" Rose asked.

"Back to erase time!" He said, trudging out of the room.

XxXxX

He let the luke-warm water cascade down his back as he cast his mind back to last night. He could remember most of it, right up to the point where Jackie appeared and he fell down. After that there was nothing so… "You little…" He turned the shower off wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Stalking through the TARDIS he found Rose in her room, unloading the washing her mum had obviously done for her in double quick time while he was unconscious.

"Feeling better?" She asked cheerily before looking at him. He looked serious. In fact he looked angry. "What?...What?"

"There was no strip show was there?" He growled stopping a few feet in front of her.

Rose bit her bottom lip and slowly shook her head, trying not to smile. "But there soon will be if you don't keep hold of that towel." She nodded at him. Watching a droplet of water drip from his hair and run down his chest, disappearing under the towel.

"What really happened to my clothes?" He watched her teeth tear at her lip and he froze. "Sorry." He said after a few moments.

"What?" She was thrown by the sudden change in him.

"I….. I think I kissed you."

"Oh that. Don't worry about it. It's fine. Really, it is. Quite funny really."

She's rambling, he thought she's not comfortable with it. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't been drunk it wouldn't have happened I swear."

"Oh" Her face turned frosty.

Nicely put, now she thinks you couldn't bear to do it sober. Hang on. Why does that matter? She doesn't think of you in that way, does she?

"I didn't mean that the way it came out."

She watched him shiver as his damp skin cooled off. "It's ok really."

"No, it was an idiotic thing to say. I just meant that…..well I…..oh I don't know." He gave a small sardonic laugh.

"It's fine, I know what you meant."

"Do you?"

"Not really no." she admitted.

"Oh. Well. Right. At least we're both clear on the fact neither of us know what I meant." He shrugged.

"Business as usual then." She watched as he shifted uncomfortably and she turned back to her washing.

"Right. Yes. Business as usual." The Doctor turned and left, leaving Rose feeling miserable. She flopped down on her bed and sighed. Well, she'd always wondered if he felt anything stronger than friendship for her and now she knew. The Doctor didn't find her attractive, he had to be drunk to want to kiss her.

XxXxX

The Doctor found his shirt in the wash basket, soaking wet. He could just about make out a stain of some kind and realised the girls must've taken it off to clean it. Shaking his head he dumped it back in the basket.

'You're an idiot' he chided himself. 'So many better ways of dealing with that one! Such as I'm sorry if that kiss upset you, it wasn't intended too, I didn't realise what I was doing. But nooooooo you had to go with the 'it never would've happened if I was sober.' Charm just oozes from every pore. Well done moron.' He sighed as he pulled on his shirt and jacket. 'Maybe she wont mind.' He walked down the corridor to the control room. 'Maybe I'll go out there and everything will be as it was.' Taking a deep breath he entered and gave Rose a huge grin as he stepped beside her. 'Or maybe not' he thought as Rose gave him a sideways glance and moved to the over side of the controls.

"Rose." he sighed.

"So, where are we going?" She said, her voice laced with a fake cheeriness that made the Doctor's stomach sink even further.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Dunno, I always choose. Your turn." She walked passed him, giving him a tight smile and headed back to her room.

"Rose!" She heard him call after her and his footsteps jogging to catch up with her. "Look I really am sorry. It didn't come out the way it should've done."

"I know, you said."

He jumped into her path, stopping her in her tracks. "What I should've said was. I'm sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable, it wasn't intended to. I'd never knowingly do anything to make you feel uncomfortable." His fingertips brushed against her hand, causing her to look up at him. He could see the hurt in her face and suddenly it hit him. She wasn't upset that he'd kissed her; she was upset because she thought he hadn't meant it. Truth was he had meant it. He HAD wanted to kiss her many times, but when he was sober, sense and reason told him he couldn't. Kisses lead to other things, all of which the last of the Time Lords couldn't have with a human, no matter how much he cared for her.

He found himself staring at her for too long. He wanted to make things better; he wanted to see her smile again, for things to go back to what passed for normal on his ship. He just wished he knew the right thing to say.

"I'll go see where she'd headed." He muttered, his eyes darting to look anywhere but her eyes before retreating to the control room.

Rose stood in silence in the corridor. Tears pricked at her eyes and she let them drop onto her cheeks. Maybe it would be better if she went home, left now before things became too complicated. She seriously thought about if for a moment but then realised, rather selfishly that she couldn't bear to not see his face again. She'd just have to live with the fact that he didn't find her attractive, she was his friend, nothing more and the only real friend he had.

XxXxX

The Doctor kicked the control panel. "Sorry." He muttered when the TARDIS beeped at him. Sitting heavily on a chair he nursed his now throbbing toe. "At least with you I know how to put things right." He told his machine and sighed "What am I going to do now?" He looked round the control room. Under other circumstances he would have been very proud of how festive it looked. Twinkling lights, baubles hanging from every accessible point and that's when he spotted it.

XxXxX

She'd made the decision to not be angry with him. He was just being honest and she couldn't really fault him for that. He'd told her before that he couldn't spend the rest of his life with any one person and she'd seen the sadness as he'd said it. The Doctor didn't want to be alone; he just didn't have the choice. She understood that but it didn't make the hurt less. Sighing she stepped out of her room. Yesterday had started off really well. How quickly things could change. Rose gathered herself together, wiped her hands over her face and checked her make-up. Time to face him again.

XxXxX

"What the…? What are you up too?!" Rose exclaimed as she re-entered the control room. "It's not even Christmas."

"Oh you noticed that, huh?"

"Mum told me yesterday. We've got a few months 'til the next one yet. What's all this in aid of?"

"Well, Christmas was….. well, it was a bit rubbish really. What with the whole alien invasion and what have you. I kind of wanted to give you a fairly normal, non traumatic Christmas to make up for it." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Behold my success in all its glory!" Rose heard the sarcasm in his voice as he threw his arms wide.

"You don't do normal." Rose countered.

"Not normally, no. But I thought I could cope with one day. I managed to cope with your mother's Christmas dinner!" He offered her a small smile.

"So all of this; the tinsel and the lights and that tree; they were all for me?"

"Yeah, I suppose so." A grin spread across his lips as he watched her face light up. He watched her nervously as she walked around the control room. Was it too much to hope she'd forgiven him?

"And all of that?" She asked, pointing up at the ceiling. There were lengths of string pinned from one side of the room to the other in all directions and each length was laden with mistletoe.

"Ah, yes, well. That is also for you." He mumbled.

"Hmm?" Rose hadn't heard him properly and turned back to face him.

"What I said earlier. It really did come out wrong."

"You don't have to explain." Rose shrugged, rubbing at a spot on the floor with her toe.

The Doctor sighed, took her face in his hands and planted a kiss on her lips. It was so soft she barely felt it.

"Wha…what was that for?" She whispered.

The Doctor stared at her for a moment too long

"Doctor?"

"Well, you know, I'm not drunk." He stepped back and shrugged, clearing his throat.

"Oh." Rose stood staring at him as he turned towards the consol and allowed herself a small smile. Without warning she grabbed his face and kissed him as hard as he had kissed her last night, leaving him dazed and breathless.

"Wha…?" The Doctor panted.

"Well, you know. Mistletoe. It's tradition." She told him before practically bouncing out of the room, grinning to herself.

XxXxX

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Rose sighed as her mum asked when she'd be home again for what seemed like the millionth time. "I dunno, mum. You know the Doctor. Time keeping isn't really his strong point."

"Did you ever find out why he was decorating everything with Christmas lights?"

"Yeah. Something about wanting to give me a proper Christmas. You know without the alien invasion and stuff."

"Oh, well that's nice."

"What?"

"What?" Jackie pulled her most innocent face.

"Why'd you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you want to say something else but decided not to."

"Dunno what you mean." Jackie told her, heading for the kitchen.

"You never say, 'oh, well that's nice' without a 'but' after it." Rose told her following.

"You're just being paranoid." She busied herself with some washing up.

Rose was about to ask more questions when her phone rang.

"Is that Mickey?"

"No, it's the TARDIS." Rose frowned. "Hello?"

"Only me." The Doctor's voice came through the speaker. "Hope you haven't gobbled down too much, got a big dinner tonight."

"Dinner? Where?"

"Where do you think? Here of course."

"In the TARDIS?"

"Why do you say it like it's a foreign concept?"

"Well, it's just when you say big dinner, the TARDIS kitchen isn't exactly well stocked."

"If you're not hungry it's ok."

She could hear the disappointment in his voice and instantly felt guilty. "What we having?"

"It's a surprise!"

"Have you been drinking again?"

"Not at all! What an impertinent question! Be here in an hour. Oh and bring your mother and Mickey if ya like. I think I've cooked too much."

"You've cooked?!"

Jackie looked up at her daughter in surprise.

"Where did you think it was coming from? Rose, I've got to go the potatoes are boiling. One hour!" With that he hung up.

"What was all that about?" Jackie asked.

"The Doctor's invited us all to dinner. Me, you and Mickey. Says he's cooked."

"Is he any good?" Jackie handed her daughter a tea cloth.

"Dunno he's never cooked for me before. We usually go out for dinner or just eat whatever the TARDIS cooks up." Rose took a cup from the draining board and absently wiped it over.

"And he's invited us all?"

"Yep."

"I think that bang on the head did more damage than you thought."

XxXxX

"Well whatever it is it smells great!" Mickey sniffed the air as he stepped into the TARDIS.

"Smells like roast dinner." Jackie said.

"Roast turkey to be exact." The Doctor told them stepping into control room, untying his apron. "And you lot are early." He threw the apron at Rose and smiled as it landed on her head.

"Oi!"

"Come on you, take a seat." He led the way to the dining room.

"Never seen this room before." Rose said taking a seat.

"Well you know the TARDIS, always changing to suit every occasion. Won't be a minute." He darted out of the room leaving his guests in a stunned silence.

Gazing round Rose couldn't help but smile. There were fairy lights and candles all over the room and a faint aroma of cinnamon. The table was set with a deep red cloth with holly and mistletoe sprinkled down the centre and at either end there was a tall church candle.

"No starters I'm afraid folks. I sort of forgot that bit." The Doctor announced carrying a turkey to the table. But there's plenty of trimmings and vegetables to go round. Think I might have done too much actually." He scratched the back of his head as he looked at the tray. The turkey was big enough to feed half an army alone, yet there it sat surrounding by potatoes and parsnips, mini sausages wrapped in bacon, a small piece of beef in case someone didn't want the bird and Yorkshire puddings. "Ooo, gravy! Start dishing up!"

Rose laughed as he dashed back out of the room.

"You know" Jackie leaned over the table after making sure he was out of ear shot. "I think he's gone completely.."

"Crackers?" The Doctors voice came from the doorway, gravy boat in one hand and Christmas crackers in the other, causing them all the fall about laughing. "What?...What?! What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Rose gasped. "Nothing. It all looks and smells great. Thank you." She gave him one of her brightest smiles and planted a kiss on his cheek as he sat down next to her, causing him to blush.

"Merry Non-Christmas." The Doctor grinned, raising his glass. "Let's hope the real thing is as uneventful as this one." He looked at Rose and Jackie. "Ok maybe even less eventful than this one."

"Why, what happened?" Mickey asked as Rose and Jackie tried not to smile.

"He had a fight with a Christmas tree." Rose told him, moving a lock of hair from the Doctor's forehead, exposing the giant plaster.

"You mean there's something he's rubbish at?"

"Hey! I'm still in the room! Besides I think the place looks great."

"Yeah, I have to say there aren't many people who can decorate well for Christmas when they're half cut on eggnog!" Jackie said, sipping her wine.

"Half cut? He was off his face!" Rose exclaimed.

"You were drunk?" Mickey asked, dumbfounded.

"Only a little." The Doctor murmured.

"A little? You were doing the conga while throwing tinsel around the room."

"That's not that bad." Mickey rolled his eyes. "I thought you were going to tell me some real gossip. You know, stuff we can tease him about for months."

"Well there's always the fact he planted a real smacker on Rose before collapsing at her feet." Jackie said, taking a long gulp of wine.

The table fell silent. Rose looked nervously from Mickey to the Doctor as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"So who's carving?" Jackie asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm suddenly not hungry." Mickey muttered, rising from his chair and throwing his napkin on his plate. The Doctor froze, holding his breath as Mickey passed him.

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes just staring at the table.

"Wow, I do Christmas really well don't you think?" The Doctor sighed. "I always manage to ruin someone's day."

"That wasn't your fault." Rose told him glaring at her mother. "Besides once he's calmed down and I tell him you were too drunk to realise what you were doing he'll be fine."

The Doctor winced as his words came back to haunt him. "Rose, I di..." His voiced trailed off as she rose from her seat.

"I better go find Mickey."

He sighed as he watched her go in search of her on/off boyfriend.

"Breast or thigh?" Jackie asked.

"Sorry?!"

"The meat, breast or thigh?" She looked at the Doctor for a moment then gave him a half smile. Getting to her feet she moved round the table and sat next to him. "That was my fault. Sorry."

"What was?"

"Ruining dinner. Me and my big mouth."

The Doctor shrugged. "Would've come out at some point I guess. Anyway, it started with me getting drunk so I've only got myself to blame."

"And the TARDIS. After all, it's this machine's drink that got you in that state. It wouldn't have happened if you were sober would it?" It was almost a dare for him to say otherwise.

"Doesn't sound any better no matter who says it or how many times it's said. Sounds like an insult really doesn't it." He screwed his nose up and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Ah."

"Ah?"

"Explains the sudden mood." Jackie said nodding to the door. "You said the same to her and she took it the wrong way?"

The Doctor looked up at Jackie.

"Oh don't look so surprised. She's a teenage girl; she's bound to have taken offence. It's what girls do when good looking men kiss them then tell them it was a mistake."

"I'm sorry did you just say 'good looking'?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows incredulously.

"Well, you're not bad. For an alien. How old did you say you were?"

"I didn't." He suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting so close to Jackie and took a long gulp of water.

XxXxX

"Mickey he was drunk. Completely off his skull. You should be happy. Laughing it up. He said he never would have done it otherwise."

"So you two haven't been….you know this whole time then?"

"What?! How dare you. He's my friend. Besides he doesn't think of me in that way."

"But you do." He saw Rose's startled look. "I may be a bloke and he might call me an idiot but I'm not blind Rose. I know you fancy him. You did even when he had the big ears." There was a moment of silence. "So, other than the drunken kiss…"

"No, nothing." She answered a little too quickly.

"You're a terrible liar. You go bright red."

"I do not!"

"Yeah you do. You've gone as red as that table cloth."

XxXxX

"You know, you're very attractive for an alien." Jackie slurred, she'd developed an alcohol induced look of hunger that said he was on the menu and it scared the Doctor to death

"You said." The Doctor nodded wondering how long Rose and Mickey were going to be.

"Well aren't you going to say something nice about me?"

"You…..have…very nice hair." He stumbled.

"Charmer." She leant into him and played with his hair.

"Uh Jackie would you like some coffee?"

"Only if you want me up all night." She grinned wickedly trailing a hand from his knee gradually upwards.

"No, no that won't be necessary. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a visit to the boys room." He stood so abruptly he nearly knocked Jackie off her chair.

"You need a hand?" Jackie asked him trying to pinch his backside as he passed.

"No thank you." He called back walking as quickly as possible. The minute he was out of sight he was running.

XxXxX

"Fine there was one other kiss but it wasn't what you're thinking." Rose told him.

"Oh and what am I thinking?"

"That he took advantage. That it was more than it really was. Ok, it hurt when he told me he'd never have kissed me sober, it was silly to get upset but I did. So he strung up the mistletoe so he could give me a kiss to prove that it wasn't because he didn't want too."

XxXxX

Slinking around the corridors hoping to avoid her until he'd found the others he stopped in his tracks as he heard the two teenagers raise their voices. He knew he should keep walking but he found himself pressing his back against the wall outside the control room.

XxXxX

"Oh well that makes it much better!" Mickey folded his arms across his chest. He knew he shouldn't really be angry at her, they'd been over for a while now but he still loved her and it hurt that she had someone else and he didn't.

"Oh god it's all coming out wrong. Now I know how he felt! Look. He kissed me drunk. Then he kissed me to make me feel better. That's it the whole sordid little tale. Besides what are you getting your knickers in a twist for? You ended us, not me."

"You ended it the day you went off with him and didn't come back for a year!"

"That was an accident! We were only gone a few hours really."

"Admit it you fancy him." His eyes burned into hers.

The Doctor froze, not sure which answer he was hoping for.

"Well? You fancied him before and you fancy him even more now he's changed don't you?" It wasn't really a question. He knew the answer but he was getting a little pleasure out of seeing her squirm. "Admit it!"

"Urgh fine yes. Yes I do!" Rose stomped on the floor.

The Doctor let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and a grin spread across his face, he couldn't help himself. Rose Tyler had just admitted to her ex-boyfriend, yes ex-boyfriend that she liked him in a non-professional way. She really was amazing his Rose, he'd taken her to the far reaches of time and space, none of which fazed her, they'd stared defeat and even death in the face and usually come out of it laughing, literally. He'd even changed his face and to some extent his personality but she didn't abandon him. He loved her, he knew it, he was sure she knew it, hell even a lost, lone Dalek stuck in a museum in 2012 knew it. He'd suspected she felt more than friendship for him, he'd noticed the little looks she threw his way and a sparkle in her eyes when she saw him.

He wondered if he should leave or go in but then he heard something that removed any thought of interrupting.

"Happy now?!" Rose asked.

"Yeah actually, I am."

"What? Why?"

"Because you were honest with me. He can take you to all the brilliant far off places. That's better than anything I could ever give you."

"Mickey, you're a brilliant bloke and a brilliant friend but that's not it. If we were meant to work then we would, whether you could give me the far reaches or the M25." They both giggled and Mickey rested beside her against the consol.

"Ok, I know I'm probably gona regret asking this but what is it about him?"

"It's lots of things. He's funny and, yeah ok he's cute too. But he's so different. I dunno maybe it's 'cause he's an alien but it's like I know him so well but he's still a mystery. Just when I think I've seen all there is to him he shows a completely different side and I know there's so much about him I don't know, like his past and family and stuff and I want to know all that stuff but something stops him from telling me. You should see the look in his eyes when some mentions his home. It's like the world around him crumbles just for a moment and then he's back to being flippant, you know?"

"Not really. Well the being flippant I know but… When you guys came back at Christmas, you know aliens in the sky new face and all that, why didn't you just tell me then?"

"Tell you what?"

"I said something like 'you really love him don't you?' and you never answered, why not?"

"I guess because I didn't really know if he was still him. You know? I mean he is still him and he isn't at the same time." She looked up at Mickey and saw the small sad smile on his face. "Regretting asking?"

He shook his head. "No, just glad he makes you happy. Does he know any of this?"

"No." Rose sighed. "How can I tell him? He'd probably kick me off the TARDIS and make a run for it. He doesn't 'do domestic'."

"Who says it has to be domestic? Besides he's never gona dump you anywhere. Have to be blind not to see how much he cares about you."

"Thanks Mick, I really do love you."

"I know, just not in that way." He put his arm round her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

XxXxX

"There you are; I've been looking all over for you." Jackie purred, appearing from nowhere and pinning to Doctor to the wall with the look in her eye.

"Here I am. Isn't that nice? Both here. In the corridor."

"You know" she lowered her voice to a whisper "I've seen you naked!"

"What?" His voice was no more than a squeak.

"Who do you think put you in those pyjamas?"

"That was…"

Jackie nodded. "Don't worry; you've got nothing to be embarrassed about!"

"Oh, well…erm….thank you?"

She started to walk her fingers up the front of his shirt pressing herself against him.

"I could think of another way of thanking me."

"Really?" He gulped. "You know, tempting as that sounds I think that ROSE is near by and I don't think she wants to see that."

XxXxX

Mickey and Rose heard the Doctor shout her name, his tone was strangled and if they didn't know better a little scared.

"What now?" Rose moaned moving to the doorway. "MUM! What are you doing?" She couldn't believe it, her mum was all over the Doctor, trying to kiss him and he looked terrified. He was half trying to push her away and trying to climb the wall to get away from her.

Mickey stood laughing until Rose elbowed him. "Oof, what was that for?"

"Help me." She growled taking hold of her mother and pulling her away from the Doctor.

"Oh hello Rose. I was just telling the Doctor how well I know him." She winked at her daughter and ran a hand down the Doctor's chest moving lower and lower.

"Aaah stop right there!" The Doctor grabbed her hand as it reached just below his belt. "Maybe we should call it a night."

"I'm game if you are; which one's your room?"

"Mum! Mickey, take her home will you?"

"Good plan." The Doctor said flashing Rose a smile then making a run for it down the hall and out of sight.

"Where are you going? We're just getting started!" Jackie called after him as Mickey tugged her through the control room.

"You better go and make sure he's ok."

"He'll be fine." Rose told him opening the front door.

"You think? If your mum came on to me like that I'd be in therapy for life!"

"Lucky she thinks of you like a son then isn't it?!" Rose smiled. "Thanks Mick, for everything." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and said goodnight.

XxXxX

She wandered through the TARDIS looking for the Doctor. She always seemed to find rooms she'd never seen before and would bet she'd never find again. Music drifted down the corridor, soft gentle music that made her smile. Following her ears she found herself back at the dining room. She stood in the doorway as she watched the Doctor picking at the food on the table humming along to the song.

"So which ones this?" She asked making the Doctor jump, knocking glasses over.

"Do not sneak up on me like that. Is she still here?"

"No, Mickey took her home." She laughed, helping him to tidy up. "What were you doing outside the control room anyway?"

"I ..er was looking for you and she jumped me! She gets drunk very quickly. She's a very friendly drunk mind." He rolled his eyes.

Rose looked at him suspiciously.

"And the Song is 'Wild Horses'."

"Not the original."

"No, that was a man, this would be female."

"It's pretty." She said moving beside him. She saw him tense up.

"Don't worry I'm not about to do an impression of my mum." She smiled.

"Sorry." He took her hands and led her away from the table and began to slow dance her around the dinner table. His breath caught in his throat as she snuggled closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

"This is nice. Unlike you. You know I think you've got concussion, you're acting really oddly." She told him looking into his face.

"Why'd you say that?"

"Well the whole Christmas thing then the dinner, inviting my family. It's all a bit domestic."

"No it's a holiday." He guided her head back to his shoulder and rested his cheek against her hair.

"A holiday?"

"Yeah, most people go on holiday to get away from domestic, well I don't do domestic so to have a holiday I go a little domestic."

"'cause that makes perfect sense." She teased, smiling into his shirt.

"Won't bother next time." He pouted.

Rose looked up at him again and got caught in his gaze. She found herself in a bit of a daze as her lips met his, as if she had no control. Her grip on him tightened as the kiss deepened then she felt his hand slide into her hair and she felt like her knees were about to give way.

"Didn't think you were going to do an impression of your mother." The Doctor said.

"I'm sorry." Rose panted and stepped out of his arms, looking more than a little embarrassed.

"Rose, I'm teasing." He reached out to take her hand.

"I should go and check on my mother."

The Doctor sighed; it was the same thing happening all over again. "You don't have to run off."

"Yes I do."

"Why?" He grabbed her arm as she turned.

"Because." She wrenched her arm from his grip and practically ran out of the room.

"Why do humans think that 'because' is an actual answer?" The Doctor muttered running after her. "Right, listen to me Miss Tyler." He planted himself firmly in front of her, blocking her path out. "I'm not a big fan of déjà vu and chasing after you is becoming a bit samey. We're together all the time. We live together, we run for our lives together, I even end up at your mum's so things are bound to get a bit odd now and then but if you run away every time or you think we're getting too close then you might as well go home." His face was stern and his hands were planted firmly on his hips. He watched Rose's eyes widen at his last comment.

"Do you want me to go?"

"What? No I don't." He took her hands in his and his face softened. "I love having you with me; I wouldn't want it any other way, unless it makes you unhappy and makes you want to walk out on me." He watched her chew her lip, unsure what to say. He cupped her cheek in his hand trying to get her to look at him and when she wouldn't he decided to take drastic action. "Right then Rose Marion Tyler, you asked for it!"

Before she knew what was happening the Doctor ducked his head and kissed her breathless.

"Right." He panted "Now, time to teach you something I learnt earlier." He dragged her to the control room and stood her in front of the monitor and punched some buttons and the estate popped up on the screen. "There, see. The world hasn't collapsed. We kissed and nothing has changed. Everything is as it was five minutes ago."

He watched her nod slowly.

"Goodnight Rose. Merry Christmas." He kissed her temple and left her in the control room smiling to herself. Reaching up and grabbing a sprig of mistletoe she trotted after him calling "Oh Doctor!"

XxXxX

 


End file.
